Resilient wheel.



J. SEADLER.

RESILIBNT WHEEL.

APPLIUATION FILED 00T. 14, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

J. SEADLER.

RESILIENT WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED 00T.14, 1912.` 1,05L276. Patented1311.21, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I IIIII WITNESSFS JAMES SEADLER, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters'latent.

Patented J an. 21, 1913.

Application led October 14, 1912. Serial-No. 725,632.

To all whom it may concern: f Be it known that l, JAMES SEADLER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, inthe county ofSacramento and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Resilient Wheels, ofwhich the following is aspecication.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels,

and pertains especially to a resilient wheel folr use in automobiles andvehicles general y.

y.The object ofthe present invention is to provide a wheel which will besimple, praetical and durable, and which will provide, by a novel systemof springs, the desired degree of resiliency ordinarily possessed bypneumatic ltired wheels.

Another object vof the invention is to provide means for temporarilyholding the springs out of contact with the outer rim when it is desiredto remove the rim when making repairs, or for other purposes.

A further object `is generally to improve this class of wheels so as toincrease their utility, durability and eiiciency.

It comprises certain novel constructions,

combinations and arrangements of parts, allv of which will behereinafter more particularly set forth and described in the followingspecifications and drawings, in which- Figure '1 is a side elevation ofthe wheel partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross section of same. Fig. 3is an `enlarged detail view of same in side elevation. Fig. 4 is asection on line X-X, Fig. 1.

By referring to the drawings, A indicates the wheel felly or inner rimportion of my improved wheel and 2 the outer rim or tread portion. Thetwo rims are suitably spaced apa-rt and yieldably connected in a mannershortly to be described. The outer rim 2 is of metal and is preferably.provided with Ia suitable resilient tread portion 3, of rubber or "likematerial. For the purpose of hous- 'ing' the vmechanism interposedbetween the two rims and 2.1 provide two annular side rings orflanges 4and 5 which may be secured to the sides of the outer rim as shown.

Between the rims, atv suitably spaced intervals around the circumferenceof the wheel, is provided a series of semi-elliptical springs 6 whichare eachfxed to blocks 7;

l lthe blocks 7 being suitablygsecured'v to the outer periphery of aring J` or band 8, suitably secured to the main wheel or felly A. Theouter ends of the springs 6 are adapted to bear slidably on plates 9,which in turn l.are slidably mounted on rollers 10. These rollers 10 aresuitably journaled in shoes 11, secured to the outer rim, and whichshoes are provided with side flanges 12 for the purpose of preventingany Vside movement or displacement of the plates 9. The springs 6 aremounted alternately on each slde of the center of the wheel, as shown,for the purpose of providing the greatest spring contact area possibleand to equalize the spring pressure as much as possible.

With the object in view of providing a positive connection lbetween theinner and outer rims, whichr will allow the transmissionof tractiveforce, and which will allow.

a limited amount ,of circumferential movement of the outer rim with'respect to the inner rim, and to allow the two rims to accommodatethemselves to the varying/degrees of eccentricity incident to theyielding movement of one rim with relation to the other, when the wheelis travelin along the street or roadway, 1 haveprovi ed a means,generally indicated at 13, which consists of a bolt or pin 14 mounted ina bracket 15 secured to the inner rim, or otherwise secured as bydriving. it directly through the rim. The outer ends of the pin 14project into slots 16 fo-rmed in circular, turnable bear` ings 17,mounted in the outside annular ianges 4 and 5 through the medium ofcupshaped members 18. The members 18 are secured to the flanges by thescrews and nuts 19; suitable ball bearings, as 20, being interposedbetween the turnable bearings 17 and the members 18 to secure the freestmovement possible. The plates being turnably mounted in the outside flanes and provided with slots 16, with whic the outer ends of the pinsengage, `will allow the necessary amount of circumferential movement andalso varying degrees of eccentricity of the rims with relation to eachother; these different movements being possible by the free movement ofthe pin 14 in the slots which is only limited by the length of theslots. From this it can be seen that a positive connection between thetwo rims is provided which allows the desired play or movement betweenthe inner and outer rims. The slots allow circumferential movement,between the rims, while the turning movesoV ment of the plates will,allow the rims to come to ther or pull a art.

For tee purpose of olding the springs, when it is desired to eitherreplace or remove the outer rim 2, I have provided a bolt 21 which issecured to the plate 9. The bolt passes through the block 7, the innerrim A, and a yoke 22 which is provided with a central opening 23 throughwhich the bolt extends. f

When itis desired to remove the outer rim, it is only necessary to bringthe bearing plate 9 out of contact with the inner periphery of the outerrim which will relieve the outer rim of the spring tension of thebearing springs. This is accomplished by introducing a socketwrench orequivalent means through the socket portion 23 of the yoke to engage thenuts 24 on the bolt. By tightening up on the nuts through the action ofthe wrench, it is possible to Withdraw the plate 9 and bearings fromcontact with the outer rim and thus leave this free to be removed.Suitable coil springs, as 25 and 26, are interposed between the plateand lock and the inner rim and nuts to hold the retracting bolt andprevent undue play of this when the bearing plate 9 is in the normalcontact position. i

When it is desired to remove a brokenv or lame spring, it is onlynecessary to unscrew the bolt 2O to its farthest extent. This will allowthe spring to expand to its fullest extent when it may be '.easilyremoved.

In operation, with the wheel resting on the ground and supporting itsload, it can be seen that the load will be carried by several of thesprings which are nearest to the ground and that the springs which areat the top of the wheel will consequently expand 1n proportion to thecompression attained by the lower springs and thus equalize the load.The moment Vtractive force is transmitted to the wheel a yieldingmovement of the outer rim, with relation to the inner rim, is permittedto the extent of the movement of the pin 14 within the slots 15. Thismovement is transmitted or taken up by the bearing plates 9; slidingmovement of the bearing springs only taking place during compression orexpansion of same.

The wheel issimple, compact and reliable in its actions and 1s soconstructed that it may be applied to the felly of any standard wheel.The materials and iinish of the several parts of the wheel are such asexperience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

It is manifest that the construction herein shown may be varied withoutdeparting from the principle of the invention, and I desire it to be'understood that various changes in form and construction may berpsorted to within the scope of the appended c alms.

Having thus described my invention, what I c aim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is- 1. A resilient wheel comprising an inner and outerrim, a pluralityof semi-elliptical bearing springs interposed betweenthe inner and outer rims, blocks mounted on the outer periphery of theinner rim to which said springs are secured, a plurality of guide shoessecured to the inner periphery of the outer Tim, rollers mounted in saidshoes, plates mounted on said rollers so positioned as to be interposedbetween the ends of the bearing springs and the rollers, means forretracting the spring bearing plates from contact with the rollers, andmeans connecting the inner and outer rims through which tractive forcemay be transmitted from one rim to the other.

2. A resilient wheel comprising an inner and outer rim, a plurality ofsemi-elliptical bearing springs interposed between the inner and outerrims, blocks mounted on the outer periphery of the inner rim to whichsaid springs are secured, a plurality of guide shoes secured to theinnery periphery of the outer rim, rollers mounted in said shoes, platesmounted on said rollers so positioned as tobe interposed between theends of the bearing' springs and the rollers, means for retracting thespring bearing plates from Contact with the rollers, said meanscomprising bolts secured to the plates, said bolts extending throughguideways in the inner rim and being threaded at their inner ends, nutson said bolts by which the bolts may be retracted to bring the platesout of contact with the rollers, side plates secured to the outer rim,yokes or straps connecting said plates, and means connecting the innerand outer rims through which tractive force may be transmitted from onerim to the other.

3. A resilient wheel comprising an inner and outer rim, a pluralityof'semi-elliptical bearing springs interposed between the inner andouter rims, blocks mounted on the outer periphery of the inner rim towhich said springs are secured, a plurality of guide shoes secured tothe inner periphery of the outerrim, rollers mounted in said shoes,plates mounted on said rollers, so positioned as to be interposedbetween the ends of the bearing springs andi the rollers, means forretracting the spring bearing plates from contact with the rollers, saidmeans comprising blts secured to the plates, said bolts extendingthrough guideways in the inner rim and being threaded at their innerends, nuts on said bolts by which the bolts may be retracted to bringthe plates out of contact with the rollers, side plates secured to theouter rim, yokes or straps connecting said plates, means connecting theinner and outer rims through which tractive force may be mnsmd :''om unarim il@ the other, sai@ in testimony whereof T hav@ hemmt@ sa@ mamsmpiing tumabe slotted bearings my han im the presence of two subscrba@saena te @me sa gimnas, ami pins seem-@l Witnesses.

@ h@ me? rim se positioned as to have AMES SEABLER.

55 heir @ms @gaga with the slots in h@ turn-l Witnesses:

able hearings to form a Connection between E?. J. GABDON, in@ mer andmuta@ mms. i J. Em.

